As I began to write this article, I asked, “What should I write about today?” I reflected on the fact that last year I had the privilege of visiting the memorial of one of my heroes: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Every January, we pause to honor him. We quote his speeches. We post his words on social media. We tell our children about his dream. On Monday, in honor of him, we close the Cathedral office and Archbishop Weisenburger will be celebrating an 11 AM Mass for Justice and Peace. Unfortunately, I thought about how many prefer a safe version of Dr. King — one who inspires us, but does not disturb us: A Dr. King who makes us feel proud, but not uncomfortable.
The real Dr. King was not safe. He was not convenient. He was a Christian preacher who believed the Gospel demanded change — not just in laws, but in hearts; not just in institutions, but in personal behavior. He preached that silence in the face of injustice is itself a form of violence. He believed racism was not merely a social problem, but a spiritual disease.
From a Birmingham jail cell, Dr. King wrote that the greatest obstacle to justice was not the Ku Klux Klan, but the “white moderate” who preferred order over justice and comfort over truth. Those words still sting because they reveal something uncomfortable: injustice survives not only through hatred, but also through indifference.
As Catholics, we proclaim that every human person is made in the image and likeness of God. We kneel before a crucified Savior whose arms are stretched wide for the whole world. We receive the Body and Blood of Christ — broken and poured out for the life of the world. His love was not sentimental — it was sacrificial. As authentic disciples of Jesus, we cannot draw lines around whom we think deserves dignity, compassion, patience, and opportunity.
I write this clearly because of what is happening across politics today, but Dr. King’s movement was not fueled by politics alone. It was fueled by prayer meetings, Scripture, hymn-singing, and preaching. It was fueled by Christians who believed God hears the cry of the oppressed and demands justice for and from His people.
The question for us is simple and unsettling: If Jesus or Dr. King walked into our parish today, would he recognize our faith as the same Gospel he preached? Or would he see a Church too comfortable with injustice, too quiet in the face of suffering, too slow to act? Let’s reflect on that maybe we as Jesus’ disciple can be spreading a spiritual disease.
God Bless,
Fr. J.J.